Why does it always rain on me?

By Stuart Lowe on Monday 17th Jul 2017 (22:50 UTC)

It rained all through the night. I put my tent away in a brief pause but everything was still soaked. I headed to Ulsteinvik to see about a wheel. Biltema didn't have any, G Sport didn't have one. Intersport didn't have any in stock but could order one by Wednesday. I can't afford the delay. Then the Intersport man suggested he could take a wheel off one of their display bikes. It was a disc brake wheel so might not be strong enough for v-brakes but it would get me going. It cost 600 krones but I don't think he charged me for the work.

Cracked rim

With a new, but, uncertain, wheel, I went food shopping. I broke out my UK bank card and spent £36 on food. Much of which was the cheapest you could get. I ate half of it. My mood was really low. I'd overspent dramatically in Norway. It all takes away from my future. I was nearly of the intention of calling it a day once I got to Bergen.

I set out again into the cold rain. I headed over surprise hills in the rain. It was getting colder. My hands, in my neoprene gloves, we're getting seriously wrinkly. I could see my breath. I had to take a ferry but the ticket seller missed me. I like to think it was deliberate to let me off given how miserable it was.

More hills and more fjords in chilling rain. Little roadside streams were raging torrents.

torrent

I eventually gave up in Åheim where I saw a sign for camping. The young people running the Jetsund Camping were kind enough to let me use the shower (they provided a free towel to use) and to use the washing machine and dryer for free. I washed all my clothes for the first time. Hooray. Being able to get things dry helped lift my spirits. I chatted to some friendly Norwegians. They cheered me up too.